New Testament in a Year

²⁵ I tell you this: A time will soon come when those who are dead in their spirits will hear the voice of the Son of God. Yes, it is that time already. Those people who hear that message will receive true life. ²⁶ The Father himself can give people life. In the same way, he has given authority to the Son to give people life. ²⁷ The Father has also given authority to the Son to judge people. That is because I am the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not be surprised by this. There will be a time when all the dead people will hear the Son's voice. ²⁹ They will come out from under the ground. Those people who have done good things will rise from death and they will live with God. Those people who have done evil things will also rise from death. But they will rise so that God can punish them as guilty people.’

The Father shows who Jesus really is

³⁰ Then Jesus said, ‘I can do nothing by myself. I hear what the Father says to me. Then, because of what he says, I judge people. So I judge in a way that is fair. I am not trying to do what I want for myself. The Father sent me, and I want to do what he wants. ³¹ If I say great things about myself, nobody would know that my words are true. ³² But there is someone else who speaks about me. I know that what he says about me is true. ³³ You have sent your people to ask John about me. What he has told you about me is true. ³⁴ I do not need any man to speak on my behalf. But I am telling you this to help you. Then God will be able to save you. ³⁵ John was like a light that shone brightly. For a certain time, you enjoyed the light that he gave.

³⁶ But it is not only John who shows who I am. There are other things that show it more strongly. My Father has given work to me so that I could finish it. These are the things that I do, and they show who I am. They show clearly that the Father has sent me. ³⁷ Also, the Father himself has spoken about me. You have never heard his voice. And you have never seen his shape. ³⁸ I am the one that he has sent. You do not receive his message because you do not believe in me. ³⁹ You study carefully what the Bible teaches. You think that those books will give you life with God. And it is true, those books do speak about who I am. ⁴⁰ But then you refuse to come to me so that you may have life with God!

⁴¹ I do not think that it is important for people to praise me. ⁴² But I know what kind of people you are. I know that you do not really love God. ⁴³ I have come with my Father's authority, but you do not accept me. But if someone else comes with his own authority, then you will accept him. ⁴⁴ You like to praise each other. That makes you happy. But what about God himself? You do not try to do good things so that he will praise you. That is why you will never believe in me.

⁴⁵ But I will not have to tell the Father that you are guilty. No, it is Moses who will do that. You think that Moses is the one who will show that you are right. But he is the one who will show that you are guilty. ⁴⁶ Moses wrote about me. So, if you had really believed Moses, you would believe me. ⁴⁷ But you do not believe what Moses wrote.^[a] So you will never believe what I say.’